Posts Tagged ‘Utah Jazz’

July 12, 2016 · 10:19 AM ET

ALL BALL NERVE CENTER — Pokemon Go is one of the hottest mobile games out there, as people are glued to their phones more than ever before. And while I’ve apparently missed the boat on this one — I never played/watched Pokemon growing up, so the nostalgia is lost on me — NBA players and teams are apparently just like the rest of us and love playing the game…

April 21, 2016 · 10:11 AM ET

ALL BALL NERVE CENTER — It was just a week ago that Kobe Bryant played his final NBA game, when he quite memorably went for 60 points against the Utah Jazz. But before we let Kobe ride off into the sunset, here’s a cool video with some animated highlights from Kobe’s final game…

During a break in the fourth quarter of the blowout loss, some Lakers fans sitting near the team’s bench were clamoring for Bryant’s armband/shooting sleeve. Bryant tossed it into the crowd and, after a pair of Lakers fans wrestled it away from the first fan, the Kobe backers took a long whiff of their momento (literally) …

March 24, 2016 · 9:43 AM ET

ALL BALL NERVE CENTER — There are many ways to distract your opponent while they are at the free throw line. Yell at them? Clap your hands? Talk to them? Thundersticks? These are all options that are in play.

Or, if you’re the Houston Rockets mascot, and Utah’s Rodney Hood is at the free throw line, you wheel out a garbage can with a shirtless man painted green and holding a popcorn bucket over his head hiding inside of it.

March 16, 2016 · 11:03 AM ET

ALL BALL NERVE CENTER — Perhaps the hottest ticket in the NBA this season will be on Wednesday, April 13, when the Los Angeles Lakers host the Utah Jazz. Barring any surprises, this should be the final home game in the legendary career of Kobe Bryant. And while tickets can be obtained for a lot of money, there’s still an opportunity to get two front row tickets (plus travel and lodging) for as little as $10…thanks to Kobe himself.

Bryant is partnering with the fundraising website Omaze, where a donation of as little as $10 qualifies entrants for the chance to win two tickets donated by Kobe for the Jazz/Lakers game. The proceeds will go to several charitable organizations, including The Kobe & Vanessa Bryant Family Foundation, the Positive Coaching Alliance and The After-School All-Stars of Los Angeles. And hurry up, the contest ends on April 8.

March 7, 2016 · 1:39 PM ET

ALL BALL NERVE CENTER — Today is (apparently) National Cereal Day. Now, if you weren’t aware that today was such a special day, that’s fine — go eat a huge bowl of cereal and celebrate! Still, for many people, such as Jazz forward Trevor Booker, every day is National Cereal Day. As Booker says in this video from the Jazz, he grew up eating a lot of cereal. So much so that when given a blind cereal taste test, Booker…well, see for yourself…

February 10, 2016 · 12:30 AM ET

ALL BALL NERVE CENTER — Gordon Hayward delivered a reminder of the old philosophy that it doesn’t matter what you do early in a game as long as you deliver late.

The Jazz forward struggled to find a rhythm and the range on his shots all night long Tuesday at American Airlines Center in Dallas. They came up long and short, bounced off the rim and clanked off the backboard.

Then teammate Rodney Hood dropped in the clutch 3-pointer at the end of regulation and Hayward had a fresh chance to start all over again in overtime.

And he jumped on it.

After shooting just 5-for-17 from the field in the first four quarters, Hayward couldn’t miss in OT. He took three jumpers and made them all, including the pretty step-back, 20-footer from the baseline that beat the horn to give the Jazz their 121-119 win in overtime.

The shot gave the Jazz their seventh consecutive win and eighth in the last nine games, enabling Utah to jump ahead of Houston into the No. 7 slot in the Western Conference playoff race.

With big men Rudy Gobert and Derrick Favors healthy and back in the lineup, it’s looking like the Jazz are ready to end their four-year playoff drought.

Remember, the Horry Scale examines a game-winning buzzer-beater (GWBB) in the categories of difficulty, game situation (was the team tied or behind at the time?), importance (playoff game or garden-variety night in November?) and celebration. Then we give it an overall grade on a scale of 1-5 Robert Horrys, named for the patron saint of last-second answered prayers.

One thing to get straight: The Horry Scale does not measure only a game-winning shot; the Horry Scale measures several facets of a Game-Winning Buzzer-Beater. So we’re talking about not only the shot, but also the play that creates the shot, the situation and the drama, the celebrations … basically, everything surrounding and including the shot. In short, it’s about the total package.

DIFFICULTY — Once Hayward rubbed off would-be defender Raymond Felton by coming through the lane to take Joe Ingles’ inbounds pass, he kept on circling to the left baseline, then rose up to get off a gorgeous step-back jumper over the outstretched arm of too-late 6-11 Zaza Pachulia that buried into the bottom of the net as the horn sounded.

GAME SITUATION —There’s always less pressure when the score is tied. But considering how much difficulty Hayward had finding the basket for most of the night, it was impressive the way he took over in overtime and stroked the game-winning shot with such confidence right in from of his teammates on the visitors’ bench.

CELEBRATION — Hayward didn’t have far to go to get his pats on the back since his fallaway motion practically took him into the arms of his happy teammates. First a hug from Trey Lyles, then Chris Johnson and Hood and as the Jazz made their way toward the locker room.

GRADE — Pachulia definitely gave Hayward just enough of an opening to get the shot off, but it wasn’t a wide open, size-it-up. For a guy who struggled all night with his shot, it was a redemptive thing of beauty. We’ve giving it two Horrys.

January 15, 2016 · 10:22 AM ET

ALL BALL NERVE CENTER — Like we always do at this time, let’s take a look at the best instances of people getting #POSTERIZED over the last week and, at the bottom of the post, you can place your vote for a winner. And don’t forget, if you see someone get posterized, tweet it with the hashtag #POSTERIZED so we don’t miss it!

Quick second to send a shoutout to LeBron James. Not only did LeBron make a strong POSTERIZED appearance this week (see the poll below), but he also paid something of a POSTERIZED tribute to legendary power forward Karl “The Mailman” Malone. Check out this breakaway dunk against the Dallas Mavericks…

January 8, 2016 · 10:13 AM ET

ALL BALL NERVE CENTER — Like we always do at this time, let’s take a look at the best instances of people getting #POSTERIZED over the last week and, at the bottom of the post, you can place your vote for a winner. And don’t forget, if you see someone get posterized, tweet it with the hashtag #POSTERIZED so we don’t miss it!

Before we get to the NBA posters, let’s take a moment and give a shoutout to the NBA D-League, which is currently gathered in Santa Cruz, California, for their annual D-League Showcase. Jaron Johnson plays for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, and while he may not be in the NBA quite yet, I think we can all agree that his POSTERIZING skills are NBA worthy for sure…